A concern about getting caught overweight at a weigh station

NoobiDriver · Mar 13, 2016

scottied67 said: ↑

OK I understand now after 3 of your explanations. I had a creative writing professor who pounded it into our heads to explicity describe things in writing so the person reading would have no question what the writer was trying to convey.

That said, generally we truckers out here describe the activity as sliding the 5th wheel forward or back not the tractor back or forward.

Bottom line slide the 5th wheel all the way back on the tractor to shed weight off the steers is the accepted practice and expectation of result.

Did your company put on a moose killer guard which would add weight?
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As I said, I've tried explaining the issue several times to several truckers as well as to the people at my company using the jargon of sliding the 5th wheel forward/ backward and it has been total confusion. So I opted for this other way and it's worked better for me in relaying understanding. I'm sorry it didn't work out well between us.

The truck is actually rented by the company from ryder. No moose killer guard.

dca · Mar 13, 2016

NoobiDriver said: ↑

That's pretty much where I had it up until 2 and a half weeks ago too. There were 2 holes free. That was the sweet spot where everything was weighing out right for the past couple months. Then I took a nestle water load from out of PA and that's when the problem began. I was close to 14,000 lbs on that load so I slid the 5th wheel into the final 2 holes and that got me down to just over 13,000 lbs. That nestle water load is the heaviest load I've ever had, by the way. Heaviest loads I've had in my little over 2 years of experience so far have been 45 thousand and change and when you go to weigh that, the gross will be 79 thousand and change. The nestle water load was 47,000 lbs on the bills. I wondered how this could weigh out right on the gross, but for whatever reason, it did weigh out under 80,000(79 and change) on the gross.

The picture added to this post is of the position my 5th wheel was in when everything used to weigh out fine. Since then I've slid it to those last 2 holes.

Interestingly enough, when I first got this truck, it was slid into those last 2 holes and, consequently, my steers would always be light in weight. I had to eventually slide to the position seen in the photo because often times there would be no other way to make the weight right on the drives and trailer axles. That was the constant issue at first. Slid into the position seen in the photo and never had any weight issues after that until now.

So, between when I first got this truck and now, I'm having an opposite effect. When I first got the truck, it was slid into those last 2 free holes in the picture and the steers were ALWAYS light (11,200 or lighter). Now, since the weight issues began 2 and a half weeks ago, the steers are always around 13,000 or heavier) in the same 5th wheel position where a couple of months ago, it was always very light.

View attachment 132227
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it's either the tandems are to far back or how its loaded. 47000 would put the rig I'm in over 80000, has to be closer to 45

gokiddogo · Mar 13, 2016

If the weight of steers + drives = more than 46,000 then it should be reworked. If it is under 46,000 then this problem beats me. Fuel weight is my only idea. It does not matter how it is loaded inside, think of it as a 46,000 pound weight sitting on one point and you get to distribute it between your steers and drives.

FYI - I always load up my trailer axles as close to 34,000 as I can.

NoobiDriver · Mar 13, 2016

Dale thompson said: ↑

first things first 1000 lbs does not appear like magic - something changed and this is going to take some research - new guy or load pattern at the shipper or maybe a recent scale calibration but it is something also if the 5th wheel is all the way back [ centered between drive axles ] it should be almost impossible to get 13k on the steers unless you have a long [ 320 inch plus] wheelbase and a large heavy sleeper
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I too think something has happened because when I first got the truck (a volvo 760), the 5th wheel was slid all the way to the back and all of my loads, the same repetitive loads from the same shippers I still get now, were always very light on my steers. Now, those same loads are heavy as hell on my steers.

NoobiDriver · Mar 13, 2016

gokiddogo said: ↑

If the weight of steers + drives = more than 46,000 then it should be reworked. If it is under 46,000 then this problem beats me. Fuel weight is my only idea. It does not matter how it is loaded inside, think of it as a 46,000 pound weight sitting on one point and you get to distribute it between your steers and drives.

FYI - I always load up my trailer axles as close to 34,000 as I can.
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What really gets me is when my drives are light(only 30,000 lbs) and the steers are STILL in the 13,000 lbs range with the 5th wheel slid all the way to the back.

Old Iron · Mar 13, 2016

You are making this over complicated. It is not.
All you are doing by sliding your 5th wheel is changing the proportion of weight placed on the steers. THE TOTAL PLACED ON THE 5TH WHEEL IS NOT CHANGING. The weight that the front of the trailer is putting on the truck will not change with out sliding the rear trailer tandem.
If something really did change all of a sudden and it has nothing to do with fuel carried, or a passenger and a ton of their crap on board.
I would check to see if the front driver air bags seem have the same amount of air pressure in them as the rear. I have no idea how they could not be evening out, but if the rear axle is taking most of the weight it would act like you had your 5th wheel slide too far forward and have the problem you are having.
With a sliding 5th wheel and 34,000# on the drives you should have to problem getting 10-13 on the steers depending how your 5th wheel is placed.

truckon · Mar 13, 2016

Just drain some oil out. Run the truck till it goes bang. Problem solved.

NoobiDriver · Mar 13, 2016

Zeviander said: ↑

If you've moved the fifth wheel all the way back, you have no other option aside from going back to the shipper to rework the load, or take fuel out of the tanks. 1000 pounds overweight is going to get the DOT's attention, especially on the steers. Even being under gross is going to make them question you as to why this is the case.

Don't mess around with it. Just get it reworked.
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And I always weigh the truck when it's between a quarter to a half a tank of fuel.

dca · Mar 13, 2016

I'd set the tandems and 5th wheel where I wanted them then get a certified scale ticket and take it back to get reworked if over.. the settings would need to be reasonable and legal for the states and route. at the very least, if you're over weight and get caught, there's a fine and possibly the down time it takes to have it reworked on the spot.

tinytim · Mar 13, 2016

NoobiDriver said: ↑

the steers are always around 13,000 or heavier) in the same 5th wheel position where a couple of months ago, it was always very light.
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Strange, something had to have changed.

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